Stolen Love by Joyce Lomax Dukes Page A

boys spent the rest of the day at home.
    Monday morning, Andrew and Linda were heading to the office when Andrew told the boys they needed to go to the office about 3 pm that he had something for them to do. The boys agreed to show up at the office, and then Andrew and Linda left for work.
    The boys went to the beach at noon and they saw the girls playing in the water. The boys joined the girls and they played in the water with them for a few hours.
    Later Tiffany told Dru they would have to go because Ashley's mom was picking them up to go shopping.
    He said, “We need to be leaving, too. I'll call you tonight.”
    Dru and Charles went to the office and his father gave them office work to do that evening, then the family went out for dinner.
    At dinner, Charles told them about Ashley, saying, “I know in my heart that I am in love with her. It was love at first sight the day I saw her on the beach!”
    His uncle replied, “I have something for the both of you boys to do at the office for the rest of the week that will keep your minds off those girls.”
    The boys had to work for the week, just as Charles’ uncle said.
    Friday evening Andrew sent Dru to deliver some papers before he came home. Charles rode with Andrew to the store. Riding down the street with Uncle Andrew, he saw Ashley sitting at the park.
    His uncle stopped at the store, Charles said, “Look, Uncle. That’s the girl I'm in love with, I'm going over to talk to her.”
    Andrew said, “I'll see you when I come out of the store.”
    Charles walked up to Ashley and asked her why she was there.
    She said, “Hi, Charles! I like coming to the park to draw and I'm waiting for my dad. He's at the store.”
    He asked, “What did you draw?” She replied, “Look!” He looked at her book of drawings and said, “These are very beautiful.” She told him he could have them if he liked, he said, “Yes, I will always keep them.”
    Andrew called out to Charles, Ashley said, “I will walk with you. My dad is coming, too.” They walked across the street together.
    Charles said, “I will call you tonight.” Ashley got in the car with her father. Charles got in the truck with his uncle.
    That night after dinner, Charles talked to Ashley on the phone.
    When he hung up with her he went to his aunt and said to her, “I know in my heart I truly love Ashley and I feel it every time I see her or talk to her on the phone.”
    His aunt said to him, “If you truly feel that way then finish college and stay in touch with her, build a life together after school. Just always, let her know how you feel.”
    Charles said, “But, I don't think she feels this way about me.”
    Aunt Linda said to Charles, “Time. Always give her time.”
    That weekend the boys took the girls to the amusement park. They had lots of fun riding on most of the rides and playing the games. The boys spent a lot of time with the girls. Dru and Tiffany were getting very close, making plans for when they finished college.
    The next weekend the four of them went horseback riding. Every evening Dru went to Tiffany's house to see her, her parents really liked him. Ashley would talk to Charles on the phone.
    She did not really want to get close to him. She only liked him as a friend, but that was enough for Charles.
    She went to the movies with him on Thursday, just because Dru was out with Tiffany.
    Friday evening Dru talked with Tiffany on the phone. She told him that she was spending the night at Ashley's house since she would be going out of town with Ashley and her parents Saturday morning and that they would be back the next Saturday afternoon.
    Dru said, “I will see you in church next Sunday if I don't see you when you get back.”
    Dru went into the family room where Charles was, and told him that the girls would be leaving early in the morning with Ashley's parents and that they would be back the following Saturday.
    Charles knew he would be leaving that Friday before she came back. Dru said